12/04/2025
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1927607/episodes/16965386-when-michael-correa-s-victims-finally-speak-inside-a-historic-us-torture-trial-in-denver-colorado
The Michael Correa trial currently unfolding in Denver, Colorado represents a watershed moment in international justice and accountability for crimes committed under authoritarian regimes. As a former "jungler" - a member of ex-Gambian President Yahya Jammeh's feared death squad - Correa stands accused of torture, extrajudicial killings, and crimes against humanity. This case marks the first time a jungler has faced trial in the United States under federal laws that permit prosecution for torture regardless of where the crimes occurred.
The testimony emerging from the courtroom paints a harrowing picture of life under Jammeh's dictatorship. Second Lieutenant Faring Sanyang's account stands out as particularly compelling. When ordered by President Jammeh himself to assassinate journalist Dada Hydra, Sanyang took the extraordinary risk of refusing, suggesting instead that proper legal channels should be followed if Hydra was suspected of wrongdoing. This moral stance ultimately placed Sanyang on a kill list, subjected him to brutal torture, and eventually forced him to flee for his life.
The trial has revealed the systematic nature of torture employed by the regime. Witnesses have described being taken to Mile 2 state prison and the National Intelligence Agency headquarters where they endured cigarette burns, bayonet stabbings, pistol-whipping, and near-fatal beatings. Thamsi Jassay, an American-trained naval officer, recounted how Correa personally suffocated him with a plastic bag, forcing him to bite a hole in it just to breathe. The testimony included chilling details of how torturers would call President Jammeh during torture sessions, allowing him to hear the victims' screams over the phone.
What emerges beyond the horrific details of physical torture is a picture of moral resistance. Despite being offered material rewards, including a new pickup truck, to join the junglers, Sanyang maintained his ethical stance. His testimony challenges the defense's narrative that the junglers were merely victims themselves, forced to comply with orders or face death. Sanyang's response was clear: "I told the truth because they were looking for the truth." This statement encapsulates the courage required to stand against tyranny, even when doing so comes at potentially fatal costs.
The Michael Correa case represents more than just individual accountability; it symbolizes a crucial step in Gambia's journey toward national healing and reconciliation. By bringing these crimes to light in an American courtroom, survivors are not only seeking justice for themselves but are creating an international record of the atrocities committed under Jammeh's rule. This trial serves as a powerful reminder that geographic boundaries should not limit accountability for human rights violations, and that the passage of time does not diminish the need for justice.
The Michael Correa trial currently unfolding in Denver, Colorado represents a watershed moment in international justice and accountability for crimes committed under authoritarian regimes. As a former "jungler" - a member of ex-Gambian President Y...
